Chapter 1

After I finally woke up, my wife and son, who always favored my childhood friend, came to regret it.

It was my birthday, but my wife, Ava, and our son, Leo, had made a brand-new robot model for her childhood friend, Ryan.

He even posted it on Ins.

I casually liked the post, and a moment later, I got a text from Ava, filled with accusation:

"We gave you one too, didn't we? Leo even baked you a cake himself! What more could you possibly be upset about?"

But Ryan's robot was clearly the latest model, and even the cake Leo made for him was a little bigger than mine.

They loved me, sure, but they loved Ryan more.

Maybe it was time I tried to let go, to love them a little less.

Ava and Leo came home just as the clock struck midnight, ticking over to the next day.

The birthday cake on the table was untouched. The little sign on it read: "Happy Birthday, Dad."

"Why aren't you eating the cake? Were you waiting for us to eat it together?"

Ava forced a smile, and she and Leo lit the candles and sang "Happy Birthday" to me.

But all I felt was a surge of irritation. I waved my hand. "I don't have an appetite. You two eat it."

Ava's face immediately fell.

"I know you're still mad about Ryan, but can't you try to understand him? He has no family here. He had a rough day at work today, so Leo and I just went to comfort him. It was nothing more than that, don't overthink it."

Leo chimed in, "Yeah, Dad, Uncle Ryan has it tough. Can't you be a little more understanding?"

Watching the two of them tag-team me, my heart felt colder than a frozen wasteland.

It was my birthday, and they had abandoned me for an outsider.

Every time I got upset or lashed out because they ignored me for Ryan, they would use the same excuse.

It always made me feel like the unreasonable villain.

Every time, they'd leave me silently crying in the dead of night, only to smooth things over the next morning with a kind word or a small gift. They'd sweet-talk me, and I'd eagerly go back to being their loyal housekeeper.

This time, they clearly thought they could manipulate me the same way.

But I was tired of these obedience tests.

"Right, right, you're absolutely right. You go spend time with him. I'll just celebrate my birthday with my buddies."

With that, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

They clearly hadn't expected this attitude from me; they were frozen, unable to speak for a long moment.

Seeing that I was actually going to leave, Ava rushed over and grabbed my arm.

"You're forty years old. Can you stop throwing tantrums? My company is so busy, and Leo is swamped with school. We have to make time to appease you, and it's exhausting, okay?"

Exhausting?

I looked at them, my gaze cold. They didn't feel exhausted making Ryan the latest robot. They didn't feel exhausted baking him a cake the size of a mixing bowl.

Yet for me, it was just an outdated home assistant robot and a small cake made from scraps, and suddenly they were "exhausted"?

"You're overthinking it. I'm not angry. I just want to celebrate my birthday with my friends. It's been years since I've celebrated with them."

"Dad! Haven't you had enough?!"

Leo suddenly exploded, knocking the cake off the table. The candles nearly set the tablecloth on fire.

He'd been under a lot of pressure from school lately and was always emotionally volatile. Usually, when he acted out, I'd patiently try to calm him down.

But this time, I didn't move.

Seeing that I wasn't coming to comfort him, Leo's anger intensified. He started hitting and smashing the furniture.

"What do you want to finally leave Mom and me alone? Haven't you been emotionally controlling us enough all these years? Are you going to keep pushing until we both go crazy?!"

Watching Leo's hysterical outburst, a wave of sadness washed over me.

All these years, I'd worked tirelessly, pouring my heart out for Ava and Leo. Yet, on my fortieth birthday, all I wanted was a little favoritism from them, and I was branded a control freak.

How pathetic had my life become?

I gave a self-deprecating laugh, then saw Ava comforting Leo, her face stern as she chastised me.

"Look what you've done to Leo! Do you even deserve to be a father? If you really can't stand it anymore, then let's get a divorce."

Every time I lost my temper, Ava would coldly say those words. And every time, fear would make me back down.

Only this time, I didn't care anymore.

They might love me, but they loved Ryan more.

And I, too, should try to love them less.

"Fine."

With that, I ignored their stunned faces and walked straight out the door.